This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

Summary

  • Airports in southern and central Israel have requested closure due to migrant attacks from Gaza, causing disarray and high alert among staff and passengers at Ben Gurion Airport.
  • The Israeli defense force has been deployed to multiple locations in response to the morning attack, with thousands of rockets aimed at Israel and Hamas militants entering via sea, land, and air.
  • Flights are avoiding the airspace in Southern Israel, and there are delays at Ben Gurion Airport. Security measures are heightened, and EL AL airline is allowing passengers to delay or postpone their travel without fees.


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Airports in southern and central Israel are in a state of disarray, as Israel’s airport authority has requested closure due to migrant attacks inbound from Gaza to Israel.

The nation’s largest airport remains open. However, recent activity on Twitter has advised that air raid alerts have put staff and passengers on high alert at Ben Gurion (TLV).

EL AL Israel Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft

Photo: Robert Buchel | Shutterstock

Israel’s defense force has been deployed to at least half a dozen locations across the country due to the surprise morning attack. As reported by CNN, nearly 5,000 rockets have been aimed at Israel’s territory, and multiple Hamas militants have entered Israel via sea, land, and air.


Developing information

As the story develops, information is still coming to hand, and looking at data from Flightradar24.com, the airspace in Southern Israel could be deemed as ‘off limits,’ given that multiple flights are avoiding the area. The Israeli cabinet will meet at 13:00 Israel Daylight Time (GMT+3) to discuss further action.

Delays at Ben Gurion

Checking the departures board at TLV is seeing some international services delayed, including Bluebird Airways BZ694 to Rhodes, delayed from 13:00 to 14:05, Wizz Air to Athens W4 7511 postponed from 13:05 to 14:01, FlyDubai FZ1210 to Dubai on hold from 13:25 to 17:10 and Ryanair FR7162 to Vienna scheduled originally at 14:10 now expected to take off around 15:05. This is among multiple other anticipated delays.

Looking more closely at the nation’s popular tourist airport of Eilat-Ramon Airport (ETM), located near the Red Sea, data from Flightradar24.com may be incorrect, with three scheduled services this afternoon to and from Tel Aviv are still scheduled. However, the flights are yet to depart from TLV.

Security measures in airports throughout the region will likely be on high alert, with local media encouraging locals and tourists in the area to follow all security forces’ directions. Locals near the Gaza border have been directed to stay home and avoid gathering in public places.

Diversion of southern Israel

Updates from EL AL.

The flag carrier of Israel has released instructions for passengers looking to delay or postpone travel, with the airline allowing passengers already in the journey to delay flights up to October 13th without change fee or fare increase penalties.

Passengers who are yet to commence their journey can delay travel at no extra cost; however, EL AL has yet to make any scheduled changes.

Sources: CNN, EL AL

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